Which is the Best Way to learn!

Which is the Best Way to learn!

Nowadays a lot of people think that using a computer is the best way to learn.
Adults and children can t live without their computers and they spend many hours every day in front of the screen.

Personally, I prefer a more traditional way to learn.

In fact I think that asking a teacher is more useful than using a computer because if you don t understand, the teacher can explain the same concept many times using different words end he (or she) can also give you some useful examples .

Teachers are very important especially if you are learning a foreign language. In fact I think that the best way to practise a language is speaking to a mother tongue teacher, who can correct your grammar mistakes while you are talking and can also give you some useful advice about your pronunciation.

Another way to learn which must be taken in consideration is to learn in a group.
In my opinion, studying with other people is useful because it s less boring than studying alone and it also gives you the possibility to compare your doubts with the others obviously.
Sometimes it s necessary to study on your own, especially if you have to learn something by heart, because if you are alone you have a grenter capacity of concentration.
Another important thing about learning is the necessary of giving some pratical demonstrations.
For example if you have to learn how a machine works, studying a lot of theory is almost unuseful.

The most important thing is seeing the machine and its parts and trying to use it on your own.

Ms Imberciadori, July 2009

Writing about my town, Leon (Spain)

Writing about my town, Leon (Spain)

For me, Leon is one of the most beautiful cities of Spain. Its Gothic cathedral, with its incomparable stain glass windows, is unmistakeable and the most impressive of Spain because of its huge dimensions and beauty.

My town is very lovely to live in , because it’s not big but not small neither. The people of Leon, called ‘cazurros’, are very friendly and if you have a problem don’t hesitate to ask them about it. I’m absolutely sure they will help you.

At the momenbt, I am not living there because I am living and studying in Madrid, but when I go to Leon I really appreciate how lovely it is, as you realise that it’s a very nice city where you can live without the stress of the capital.

I think the most typical thing to do in my town, apart from visiting its cathedral and museums, is to visit the old town, which is called ‘Barrio Hiumedo’, where you can taste all our traditional food products, like blood pudding or cured meat.

If I had to compare my town with any other city of Spain, maybe I would say that it’s very similar to Salamanca, another historical and overcrowded tourist city. In fact, it’s very close to Leon in the same province.

By Antonio Prieto Tenorio, August 2008

Image credit: http://www.uwgb.edu

Contemporary Art? by Vittorio Giovine

Contemporary Art?

It might seem surprising how different kinds of people, from assorted backgrounds and enthusiastic about very diverse forms of art, agree on the point that, at the beginning of the last century, art reached its ultimate peak, after which, an inexorable decline began.

Not everybody shares this view, of course. Some argue that art was at its best in other past ages and, even more people, think that still nowadays authentic masterpieces are produced. Thus, the question arises, with music and cinema being examples which are considered accessible forms of art, is it possible to compare modern electronic dance music to the old jazz bands or the new wave of Asian/Oriental cinema to the Italian or French productions between the 50s to the early 70s?

The last century was, in fact, a truly revolutionary one. In USA African drums met classical music and instruments to create jazz. In Paris Debussy, influenced by a concert of Bali musicians, gave birth to contemporary music, and cinema was just a new thing, a brand new instrument that art made as own soon. Those were unique conditions that started the melting-pot process that led to the world we have nowadays. Today creating‘art’ is easier. Information, inspiration, and just ‘art’ itself are much more accessible, the consequences might be an inevitable lack of ‘intensity’ or, in other words, buzz of excitement.

In these days we are overwhelmed with art but, perhaps, making an effort to understand art in the past, its context and the past itself, may led us to appreciate more a modern production even without labelling it a masterpiece.

By Vittorio Giovine, August 2008

Image credit: Shenzhen Museum of Contemporary Art, http://www.e-architect.co.uk

Social Programme This Summer!

For those of you in the school this week, don't forget our exciting social programme. This week's social programme schedule is:

Monday 20th July 2009 - PIRATE PETE'S TOUR OF BRISTOL - See pictures from the ever-popular tour we held previously. Pirate Pete has lots of fascinating tales about Bristol's historical past as a sea-trading port.

Tuesday 21st July 2009 - 2 events!!!!

i - 5-A-SIDE FOOTBALL AND SQUASH - At Bristol Grammar School Sports Centre - make sure you bring suitable footwear, as the squash courts do not permit black-soled shoes. All equipment provided at the Centre.

ii - PICNIC AND KITE FLYING - On Brandon Hill, a scenic hillside spot with great views over Bristol.

Thursday 23rd July 2009 - SPORTS ON THE DOWNS - You can choose from a range of activities, including cricket, football, baseball, frisbee, badminton, or... just sitting down and talking to friends after a hard day at school.

Sign up now before you miss the opportunity forever...

Good news!

OISE Bristol is resurrecting it's blog!

(Can you spot the error here? Tip: When using punctuation, it's and its need to be studied carefully. It's = it is/it has. Its = possessive, eg the blog OF it.)

Ice Skating, July 2008

Have a look at this video of the students ice skating in the summer!

The ice rink is only a one-minute walk from the school.

Ahmad's Anniversary

With this post we would like to celebrate Ahmad's full year at our school.

He has always been a positive student - always smiling, very hard-working, very supportive of his fellow-students, always polite - with a great sense of humour.

We've really loved having you at the school Hamoodi!

PANSA & ASECNA: Leaving Party

On Friday 25 April 2008 we said goodbye to our nine PANSA students (Polish Air Traffic Controllers), who had been with us for three weeks and our 17 ASECNA (African ATC/Technicians), who had been with us for four weeks.

To mark the occasion we had a buffet leaving party, where we handed out the certificates to all our students.

Social Programme: Ice Karting

Here's a photo of Yu-Jin cruising into the pit lane!

On 20th March 2008 we went ICE KARTING!!! As you can see from the photos they divide the group into four teams: red, green, yellow and blue.

The Teams then race arounds the ice-rink (10-laps per person).

The winning team got champagne!!!

Avon Gorge Cruise in pictures

On Saturday 12 April 2008 at 9:30 we took one of the Bristol Packets boats (the Tower Belle) out of the floating harbour, through the lock out onto the River Avon, under the Suspension Bridge and into the Bristol Channel.

With the sun behind the clouds and a chill wind blowing - many of us became frozen, as well as choking in the lock from the fumes of so many boats as we lost the height from the 9.6m depth of the floating harbour to the lower level of the Avon (with the tide coming in).

However, when the sun came out, the wind died down and clear water ahead of us it turned out to be a memorable, beautiful cruise.

Visit to Kemble Airport

ICNA 04/F & PANSA
16.04.08

ASECNA: Craig in Africa

Craig Stevens (the Academic Manager of our school in Bristol) went to Dakar, Senegal last month to visit ASECNA.

Here are some of Craig's photos

Or follow this link for Isle de Goree

ASECNA: message from Abdel-Aziz Abderahamane, in Tchad

Sent 21 February 2008
As you know there was a war in our country. It is the first time I am opening my [mail]box since that. it was terrible. We thought we were going to die and it will be the end of our lives. But thank GOD almighty we are now safe and the war lasted only two days. Many people fled away with their families. I didn't leave the capital but [if] it had lasted more I should have done the same thing. Many innocent people died. There was also many robberies. But I am OK and all my family and also our houses. We say in islam alhamdulillah which means thank GOD. we have started working now and the capital is peaceful even though the rebels are present in the south eastern part of the country. During this period our airspace was managed by Brazzaville and Niamey. We are going to resume our normal duties and manage the aircraft tomorrow at 1200 UTC time God willing.
My colleagues are all OK and their families. I am talking about Benjamin, Tougue and Roger. But Roger left the country and he's now in Niamey. I don't know when our people are going to understand that we should stop fighting each other and work together for the development of our countries maybe it will take centuries as it was the case for European countries

Trip to Concorde

In Bristol we are very lucky to have excellent examples of engineering, the Great Britain, the Suspension Bridge, and Concorde.

We took the no. 75 bus north to Filton, and walked down to the BAWA Centre to wait for the tour coach, which would take us inside the secure site, owned by Airbus UK.

Photographs are not allowed inside the Airbus UK main factory (in case we steal engineering secrets!) but we were taken on a brief bus tour, with a talk by Alan, the tour guide. Many of the buildings are now listed (which means they cannot be altered or knocked down).

On the underside of Concorde we can see the logos of Rolls Royce and SNECMA.

This is the first group of PANSA (Polish Air Traffic controllers), plus Pedro, a Spanish pilot. The guides particularly enjoy having students from within the aviation industry visit Concorde.

The complicated hydraulics of the nose landing gear.

Since Concorde has four engines, each of the instruments is multiplied by four. Shige is asking, "Is it really necessary to have so many switches to fly this thing?"

You can just see the brim of a pilot's cap in the picture. During supersonic flight, Concorde expands lengthwise by 15cm. On its last flight the pilot took his cap off and left it in the space created, and accidentally forgot to remove it before the plane's speed became subsonic again. Now his cap is stuck there forever!



Concorde's last flight: On its arrival at Filton members of the crew signed the cockpit door (strengthened after the 9/11 attacks) with goodwill messages.

The WC on Concorde (very small!)

Here we can see Bernard and Ahmad (with Rayan peeking out behind him!)